By CHITO CHAVEZ
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año stressed Monday that the less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ) status should be maintained in Metro Manila in January despite the threat of the new COVID-19 strain.
In an interview over ABS-CBN Teleradyo, Año insisted that placing stricter quarantine protocols in the National Capital region (NCR) is unnecessary at this time as no new COVID-19 variant case was recorded in the country so far.
“Para sa akin, hindi pa naman kinakailangan na magkaroon tayo ng lockdown kasi nga wala pa tayong pruweba na nakapasok dito,’’ Año said.
The DILG chief noted that the country has already imposed travel restrictions on the United Kingdom while those coming from countries with cases of the COVID-19 variant would have to undergo mandatory quarantine.
He said that the government’s current focus is to prevent the entry of the new COVID-19 strain in the country.
The new COVID-19 variant was first reported earlier this month in the UK and has since reached other countries like Japan, South Korea and Australia. Health experts claimed that the mutated coronavirus could be up to 70 percent more transmissible but there was no evidence of it being virulent or deadly.
Metro Manila mayors are closely monitoring developments related to the new strain of the coronavirus, according to Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairman Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.
In an interview over DZBB, Olivarez urged the public to abide strictly by virus protocols as the country cannot afford a fresh lockdown.
“Priority natin ‘yung ating health and safety. The country, our city can’t afford ‘yung surge kaya nga po lahat ng ating health protocols sinusunod natin ‘yan, lalo na itong bagong variant, bagong strain na binabantayan po lahat ng LGUs (local government units) sa Metro Manila,” Olivarez said.
“Naging abala ang MMC tungkol sa bagong strain. Ito po ang pinag-uusapan namin, kaya nga nag-issue na kami ng executive order sa lahat po ng aming barangay captain dito sa aming city pati sa ibang LGUs na babantayan po ‘yung balikbayan na galing po sa Europe, South Africa, pati po sa United Kingdom,” he added.
El Shaddai event probed
Olivarez has ordered El Shaddai officials to answer and explain within three days why they should not be sanctioned for holding a religious event last Dec. 26 that violated health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against COVID-19.
Olivarez said the Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai violated the 30 percent seating capacity allowed by the IATF in holding religious events. Olivarez said El Shaddai did not apply for permit to conduct religious event and received a report that the group conducted religious activity and was over crowded. (with a report from Gabriela Baron and Jean Fernando)
